This invention relates to a motor vehicle dashboard and seat arrangement to minimize injury to a driver and passenger on impact of a motor vehicle. In particular the dashboard is designed to absorb the impact of a forward thrust passenger on vehicle collision either when wearing a safety belt or more importantly when without a safety belt.
Although certain advances have been made in the interior design of motor vehicles to incorporate certain safety features the features actually implemented fall far short of a goal to minimize injury. Padding dashboards usually comprise a padded top cornice to an otherwise rigid and hard instrument panel. Steering wheel on occasion include a collapsible column connecting a rigid wheel that still cause substantial chest injury on major impacts. Most serious is the failure of the vehicle occupant to utilize the life saving seat belt mandatorily provided to reduce injury.
The object of this invention is to provide a vehicle dashboard and steering wheel arranged with the vehicle front seat and designed to minimize injury in the event the driver and for passenger has failed to use the seat belt as well as when the seat belt is used. Too often the vehicle occupants fail to employ their seat belts for a variety of reasons ranging from discomfort, failure to appreciate the life saving capability of the seatbelt, or the belief that an accident won't happen to them. It is therefore incumbant on the vehicle manufacturer to employ means other than or in addition to the seatbelt for passenger protection. The recently devised air bag, comprising an air expanded, cushioning bladder, inflatable on collision has certain disadvantages including loss of visibility and control or inflation, which may be undesirable for a less than major collision, where some control after initial impact is desirable to prevent secondary disaster in running off the road or into oncoming traffic.
The dashboard and seat arrangement of the invention attempts to provide an alternative to the recognized safety aspects of the airbag, without certain of the debilities.